Andrew_s trolled a man in Reno just to watch him lulz

Intros are tedious! I've been cutting for too damn long, so I'm going to be bulking for a nice stretch with the goal of actually looking like I lift. I'm used to 3-4 day upper/lower splits or full body, so Layne's PHAT program is going to be very new to me. Numbers before the cut were 335/260/415 (s/b/d...sbd...silent but deadly, te-he-he!). Some scapula, upper back issues have forced me to say goodbye to back squats, so fronts are my thing now. No biggie. I did some testing the past few weeks, so starting numbers to work with right now are 245-250 on front squat, 430 on sumo deadlift, and my bench is slowly climbing back up. I was just DB benching for the past 6+ months, so it's almost like relearning how to BB bench.

On the nutrition side of things I'm trying to find my maintenance so I can add to that. I've been taking in 2700 for the past week, but it's too soon to tell what's going on as I went apesh!t bonkers one of the days and the water weight is still dropping. Lowest weight got down to was 182, but as of right now it's 185 or so, but at 6' I need some of dat mass. Supps are creatine when I remember to take it (working on the same tub for years, LOL), and some fish oil for general health. Calcium+D and a multi is pointless now that I'm eating more and getting my micros from food.

Strength goals are 300 on fronts, 450+ on deads, and 275 on bench. My weakest lifts are anything pressed OH or incline bench, so I'll take what I can get with them. Training right now in a corner of the dank basement, so no gym cable machines or any of that. Just barbells, dumbbells, enough iron to get stronger, and a little band love where appropriate.

I'll post up my singles on fronts from today and my deadlift from a couple week ago. I'll try to keep videos going semi-regular, but don't expect anything pretty. I'm in my damn basement, so be thankful I'm not in my boxers and a stained white t-shirt.

Back was giving out, and did on 265. Shouldn't have made a 20 pound jump.

A useful video since it shows how bad my form got from not doing sumo deads regularly. It'll still be an issue, since PHAT doesn't specifically have them in there...so I may squat 2 week, then dead 1, repeat.

I list my WO as load x reps x sets FYI. Just the way I'm used to doing it. First day on the program...felt pretty good. Not sure how I'm going to go with rows. I usually go lighter and strict, and these had some momentum on them for sure. Full body rows! There is enough back work on this program where I'll probably just move as much weight as I can on the power day and worry about being 100 percent strict for the other work. Not much else to say. It's going to take a few weeks to figure out working weights and get acclimated to the program, but I'm looking forward to it!

If anyone follows this, let me know if you would rather just see 1 set of the main lift(s) rather than all the working sets. No big deal either way, as they're getting recorded to check form and all that.

I guess I should edit in some nutrition stuff since this is the nutrition forum. I was consistent with 2700 calories the past week, but ended up going with some family to a Chinese buffet yesterday. I tried not going into beast mode, but water weight was up big time. I normally wouldn't care about that, but since I'm trying to find maintenance I should probably avoid that for a while. I aim for 150g protein, but with trace sources it usually ends up 160-170. I keep fat intake low compared to most on here, but it's just a personal thing. I notice no positives or negatives with different levels (above minimum of course), so I'd rather up the carbs.

Subbed bro.
I'm looking to build a gym similar to your setup.
What kind of power rack is that? It seems exactly like the kind I want...no frills and extras just good construction with decent hole spacing and a pull up bar (I'd like to have one, but I think most come standard with one).

Subbed bro.
I'm looking to build a gym similar to your setup.
What kind of power rack is that? It seems exactly like the kind I want...no frills and extras just good construction with decent hole spacing and a pull up bar (I'd like to have one, but I think most come standard with one).

I got it in 2009 from the bb.com store, but I think it was/is on amazon. I believe it was 100 bucks cheaper at the time, and I went with bb.com because of coupons that took the price down another 30 bucks.

It's a very basic, entry level rack, but it gets the job done. The hole spacing is not ideal, but setting the pins on bench is the only thing that could be a problem. It works well enough for my height and arm length, but I could always put something under my bench if I needed to raise it half an inch or so.

The adjustable bench I got of the same make on the other hand is junk. Wish I just got a shorter flat bench for the rack and a separate adjustable for incline and the like.

You've got massive lifts the row looks GREAT. I can already tell this is going to be an excellent log.

I just noticed you're pulling your shoulders up towards your ears and the head is coming down slightly at the peak of the row. I think when you're doing heavy weight, your body is going to move - end of story - but if you could keep your head up a little and prevent the shoulders from shrugging I think you'd be less inclined to injure and more inclined to build monster-back.

Didn't want to offer unsolicited criticism. You've been a member since 2003, so I figured if you posted vids, its because you're looking for some external perspective. I'm throwing some vids up soon on my own blog for the same reason.

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This Machine Kills Fascists.
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BULKING LOG : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=137967093&pagenumber=
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BTK - Bleed Time Krew
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"He runs, an activity that we defeated eons ago when humans discovered we are slower than every other animal on earth and can ride horses" - joelash302

Sounds good, man. I haven't been lifting since my join date, and opinions are always welcome! To be honest, I've always avoided BB rows in favor of DB rows (just less lumbar stress for me), but if I can improve and get my form down on them that leaves some room to progress. Appreciate the words.

Okay, great. Cool. Yeah, keep the shoulders AWAY from the ears as much as possible so at the top of the movement you're squeezing them back instead of up. Does that make sense? If you look at your video you'll probably see what I mean. I think you'll dig BORs. It's become my absolute favorite exercise. I do them belted which a lot of guys would snort at, but I'm very protective of my lower back as well and I'm pulling heavy weight.

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This Machine Kills Fascists.
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BULKING LOG : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=137967093&pagenumber=
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BTK - Bleed Time Krew
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"He runs, an activity that we defeated eons ago when humans discovered we are slower than every other animal on earth and can ride horses" - joelash302

Okay, great. Cool. Yeah, keep the shoulders AWAY from the ears as much as possible so at the top of the movement you're squeezing them back instead of up. Does that make sense? If you look at your video you'll probably see what I mean. I think you'll dig BORs. It's become my absolute favorite exercise. I do them belted which a lot of guys would snort at, but I'm very protective of my lower back as well and I'm pulling heavy weight.

^^^ Yep, I get what you're saying.

W1D2
10-17-11

Front Squats
205 x 5 x 3

BSS
BW x 10 x 2

Leg Extensions
90 x 12 x 2

SLDL
275 x 8 x 3

Leg Curls
50 x 20 x 2

Standing Calf Raise
220 x 10 x 3

I think I picked a good weight to progress on with front squats and SLDL. I went full retard on the 3rd set of SLDL...got too into the music and looked like I was having a seizure (as well as hyperextending my back). Assistance lifts were kept very light to limit DOMS this week and to figure out where my balance/load/reps are at. Not a fan of leg extensions (how does one not crush their balls while doing it? be female). I'll keep the reps higher since they put a high amount of pressure on the knees in a way I don't like. Enough analyzing, it was a fun and productive workout.

I just taped myself doing BORs and they look EXACTLY the same as yours. Maybe a little more strict but not much I had NO IDEA my head was moving like this. From the mirror to the front of me, I look perfectly still.

Like you said, i think at a certain weight, you know that bar is going to be moving and working your entire body.

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This Machine Kills Fascists.
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BULKING LOG : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=137967093&pagenumber=
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BTK - Bleed Time Krew
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"He runs, an activity that we defeated eons ago when humans discovered we are slower than every other animal on earth and can ride horses" - joelash302

It's all good. I think that cheat/shrugging just comes with the fact I need to learn the lift all over and build back up, along with the fact with the angle I bend over makes it very easy to cheat. If it was a more strict pendlay row it would be much harder to shrug up the weight, but I just don't like how much pressure that puts on my lower back. Traps get a hell of a workout this way anyway.

Just thinking/typing on the fly here, doing a pendlay, strict row may not be a bad idea on the hypertrophy day. It's a speed pull, so the light weight should be less stressful. Things that make me go hmmmmmmm.

Had to WO later today so it was after my meal and I felt like ass...but that's the only excuse I'll allow. Used roughly 65% of 225 for the speed rows. Going to need to get more bands eventually, but I hate spending more money on that stuff.

Had to WO later today so it was after my meal and I felt like ass...but that's the only excuse I'll allow. Used roughly 65% of 225 for the speed rows. Going to need to get more bands eventually, but I hate spending more money on that stuff.

Not used to this hypertrophy stuff. Damn leg extensions had me feeling the burn...gotta get used to that! I dislike RDL, but I'll continue with the program as is for at least 4 weeks unless my spine shoots out my neck or ass. Not heavy...just puts pressure on all the wrong spots. OK, that's enough bitching, it felt good to get the WO in and now I can eat.

Coming up on 2 weeks at 2,700 calories and I don't think the scale is budging (past water weight gains after coming out of the cut). I'll weight in the next few days then probably have to add more cals. Some people would think, "sweet, more ice cream", but I already fit in the treats I want and would love more calories for potatoes, beans, cheese...all that good stuff!

I had the most romantic candlelight workout. Power was out on the block so I was lifting in the dark basement...pretty comical, but no video because of it. Incline is pretty weak, but I am touching chest and trying to keep more of a flat back than flat bench. I forgot to mention I had a little extra workout of sorts yesterday before the leg workout and it including some benching. Shoulders were toast before the workout, so I imagine they are pretty well beat to a pulp now. Win. Can't believe it's one day off then back to benching...sheet be crazy!